A teacher at GRETA ‘D’ Shepherd Two Basic School in the Greater Accra Region, Faith Aku Dzakpasu, was adjudged the most outstanding teacher at this year’s (2023) edition of the Ghana Teacher Prize Day organised in Takoradi.
Faith Aku Dzakpasu received a prototype of a three-bedroom apartment to be built at any place of her choice in the country, and one million Ghana cedis of insurance policy offered by the State Insurance Company (SIC) and 1000 exercise books.
The first runner-up, Isabella Wussa-Tetteh of Sege D/A Primary in the Greater Accra region also took home a 4×4 Pickup truck, one million Ghana cedis insurance cover from SIC and 1000 exercise books.
The second runner-up position also went to Fredous Idi-Amin of Ogbojo Presbyterian Basic School, who also took home a brand new saloon vehicle, one million Ghana cedis insurance cover from SIC and 1000 exercise books.
Speaking at the 6th edition of the Ghana Teacher Prize on Thursday in Takoradi, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo said the new Comprehensive National Teacher Policy, which has ensured the distribution of laptops, computers, enhanced skill set, and others had improved the effectiveness of educators.
He said the implementation of those policies and programmes at both the pre-service and in-service levels had ensured a sustained production and maintenance of quality teachers needed in the education transformation agenda.
The National Teaching Council (NTC), that instituted the Ghana Teacher Licensure Examination which, according to the President, had also ensured that graduates recruited to teach meet the professional standards set by the Regulator.
Additionally, the Ministry of Education, through the NTC, has institutionalised a point-based continuous professional development system that ensures that teachers do not remain stale but stay competitive and relevant in the ever-dynamic world of knowledge and skills.
President Akufo-Addo said the government had in addition introduced the Continuous Professional Development allowance to enable teachers to afford Continuous Professional Development programmes.
The introduction of GH¢1,200 Continuous Professional Development Allowance, intervention allowance of GH¢65 million for senior high school teachers for the 2022/2023 academic year, the implementation of categories two and three allowances for district and regional directors of education, and the 30% salary increase for teachers in 2023, “will go a long way to motivate teachers to deliver more.”
President Akufo-Addo tasked the Minister for Education to ensure that teachers who are yet to receive their laptops, receive theirs as soon as possible.
These key interventions, according to the President, emphasised the government’s commitment to the ‘Teacher First’ policy, which ensures that teachers who are central to education reforms are fully tooled, skilled and supported to deliver quality learning outcomes to support the country’s development aspirations.
He added that the “Ghana Accountability for Learning Outcomes Project (GALOP), had trained 75,000 teachers in Teaching and Learning in a Digital Age” at a time when technology was a pre-requisite to 21st-century teaching and learning.
The benefits of critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, communication and digital literacy, start with a good teacher, the President noted.
That, according to President Akufo-Addo, necessitated that the minimum qualification for teachers in Ghana raised to a bachelor’s degree, emanating from the NTC, at the pre-service level, in collaboration with the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission, which introduced the National Teacher Education Curriculum Framework in 2018.
“Five years after the implementation of the curriculum, steps are being taken to review it to keep pace with global dynamics.”
“Undoubtedly, improvement of quality in the teacher education institutions is a priority to Government, hence our focus on improving infrastructure and other learning resources in our colleges of education,” the President assured.
Rex Mainoo Yeboah, ISD
